Slow Cooker Maple Smoked Beef Sliders
If you're on the hunt for a mouthwatering, no-fuss recipe that's big on flavor, you've just hit the jackpot. Slow Cooker Maple Smoked Beef Sliders is a dish that's about to become your new recipe superstar! Tender, smoky, maple-infused beef that's been slow-cooked to perfection, tucked into slider buns, and topped with lots of cheese. It's a showstopper in every bite, and it's brought to your table with minimal effort, you can even make this in the Instant Pot!
Equipment
- 1 6-qt. Slow Cooker, or Instant Pot (SEE NOTES)
- Large Frying Pan
- 1 9x13" Baking Dish or Large Disposable Foil Pan
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chuck roast or brisket, cooking time will vary, SEE NOTES
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 tablespoons liquid smoke
- 1-1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes, optional, Korean chili flakes or regular
- 12 slider buns
- 12 slices cheese, SEE NOTES
- melted butter, for brushing on top of the buns
- sesame seeds, optional
Smoky Maple Rub:
- 1/3 cup maple sugar
- 1 tablespoon smoked salt, or to your preference.
- 2 teaspoons mustard powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1-1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
Instructions
Preparing the Shredded Beef:
- Remove your choice of beef from the refrigerator and pat dry with paper towels. Place on a cutting board or butcher paper, set aside.
- To prepare the rub, combine the maple sugar, smoked salt, mustard powder, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika in a small bowl.
- Next, in a small measuring jug or another bowl, combine the broth with the liquid smoke.
- Coat the beef with the rub well, pressing it in. Heat a large frying pan or skillet on medium heat. Spray with a little bit of oil and lightly brown each side of the meat, about 1-2 minutes each. Be careful not to burn.
- Pour the broth mixture into the bottom of the slow cooker pot. Place the beef on top and sprinkle on the thyme and chili flakes.
- Set the cooker to HIGH and cook the chuck roast for 8-10 hours and the brisket for 12-14. (SEE NOTES)
- When it is done cooking, take the meat out of the cooker and shred. Add the juices and set aside. You can also make this a day or two in advance and cover it with plastic wrap until you are ready to prepare the sliders,
Making the Sliders:
- Pre-heat the oven to 350 F. If you made the beef ahead of time, you can warm it in the oven as it pre-heats to get the chill off. Or gently warm on the stove or microwave. You will only need to take this step if the meat is cold.
- Keeping the slider buns intact, slice them in half as shown in the photos.
- Layer 6 slices of cheese onto the bread.
- Layer the shredded beef over the cheese and add the final layer of 6 slices of cheese. Place the top half of the bread back on and baste with the melted butter. Sprinkle on the sesame seeds if you wish.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the meat is heated through. If the bread starts to brown too much, cover with foil and continue to bake.
- Slice and serve!
Notes
Nutritional values may vary.
Beef Roast- Let's talk beef. You have two choices here, the only major difference to me is time. You will need a 2 pound Chuck Roast OR Brisket. Chuck takes less time and Brisket is more of a set it and forget for up to 14 hours. I like to make this a day or two before I need it by setting it to cook overnight, shredding and placing in the refrigerator until it is time to cook.
Tip: If pre cooking your beef, whether chuck or brisket, I warm it up before assembling the sliders. My favorite way to do this is placing the oven safe dish or foil pan in the oven while it is pre-heating. Doing this saves time and ensures that the sliders will be melty & delicious. If the meat is cold, it will take longer to bake finished sliders.
Cheese- Gouda, Provolone, Muenster, Sliced Mozzarella, White Cheddar, or Sharp Cheddar. I prefer slices (you will need 12 slices) because it is easier but you can also used shredded.
How to make this is in an Instant Pot
Step 1: After making the rub and browning the beef, place it in the pot of a pressure cooker. Add the liquid, the thyme and chili flakes. Step 2: Set pressure cooker to HIGH and cook for 60 minutes (Chuck Roast) or 1 hour, 15 minutes for a brisket. Slow release until the pin drops. Step 3: Remove the beef, shred and continue to prepare as written in recipe card.Nutrition
Calories: 367kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 24gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 80mgSodium: 984mgPotassium: 324mgFiber: 1gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 424IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 247mgIron: 3mg
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